Power control apparatus and methods for electric vehicles

• US 9,290,104 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Gadh, Rajit, Chung, Ching-Yen, Chu, Chi-Cheng, Qiu, Li
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US13/975,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 941 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

Electric vehicle (EV) charging apparatus and methods are described which allow the sharing of charge current between multiple vehicles connected to a single source of charging energy. In addition, this charge sharing can be performed in a grid-friendly manner by lowering current supplied to EVs when necessary in order to satisfy the needs of the grid, or building operator. The apparatus and methods can be integrated into charging stations or can be implemented with a middle-man approach in which a multiple EV charging box, which includes an EV emulator and multiple pilot signal generation circuits, is coupled to a single EV charge station.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle charging apparatus for charging electric vehicles, comprising:

(a) an electric vehicle (EV) charge management system having a power input, and a plurality of power outputs;

(b) at least one programmable processor in said EV charge management system with programming executable on the at least one processor for multiplexing delivery of charging current from said power input of said EV charge management system to each said power output thereof, performing the steps;

(i) controlling the charging of electric vehicles within said EV charge management system;

(ii) retrieving and storing power capacity information from a charging station to which said power input is connected;

(iii) monitoring charging current delivery to each said power output;

(iv) determining if a new load connects to a power output;

(v) determining if a load connected to a power output requires charging current;

(vi) determining if a load disconnects from a power output;

(vii) if no load is connected to a power output requires charging current, waiting for a load to require charging current;

(viii) if a single load requires charging current, providing charging current to said single load;

(ix) if a plurality of loads require charging current, dividing available charging current among said loads evenly; and

(x) if a load requires less charging current than is available to said load in step (ix), reallocating excess charging current evenly among the remaining loads.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said programming multiplexes delivery of charging current from said power input to said power outputs to allow source capacity at said power input to be less than aggregate load connected to said power outputs.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said programming independently controls duty cycle and power level at each said power output.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said programming performs steps comprising:

(a) if a single load requires charging current, providing charging current to said single load;

(b) if a plurality of loads require charging current, dividing available charging current among said loads evenly; and

(c) if a load requires less charging current than is available to said load in step (b), reallocating excess charging current evenly among the remaining loads.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications interface connected to said processor;

wherein said processor is configured communicate with a server over said communications interface;

wherein said server provides instructions to said processor for providing charging current to a power output based on one or more charging parameters.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said charging parameters are selected from a group of parameters consisting of local grid power need, local grid power availability, local grid peak energy status, predicted peak energy periods, location of a charging station connected to said power input, and power availability to a charging station connected to said power input.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a second communications interface connected to said processor;

wherein said second communications interface is configured for receiving a signal associated with a specific user'"'"'s load connected to a power output; and

wherein said charging parameters comprise user preferences selected from the group consisting of location where charging is permitted, time during which charging is permitted, cost of power for charging, and charge level at which a charge cycle is terminated.

8. A method for charging electric vehicles, comprising multiplexing delivery of charging current from a power input to a plurality of power outputs, comprising the steps:

(a) controlling the charging of electric vehicles on at least one processor and memory storing instructions within an electric vehicle (EV) charge management system;

(b) retrieving and storing power capacity information in said EV charge management system from a charging station to which said power input is connected;

a which when executed by the processor perform steps comprising

(c) monitoring charging current delivery from said EV charge management system to each said power output;

(d) determining if a new load connects to a power output;

(e) determining if a load connected to a power output requires charging current;

(f) determining if a load disconnects from a power output;

(g) if no load is connected to a power output requires charging current, waiting for a load to require charging current;

(h) if a single load requires charging current, providing charging current to said single load;

(i) if a plurality of loads require charging current, dividing available charging current among said loads evenly; and

(i) if a load requires less charging current than is available to said load in step (i), reallocating excess charging current evenly among the remaining loads.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising multiplexing delivery of charging current from said power input to said power outputs to allow source capacity at said power input to be less than aggregate load connected to said power outputs.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising independently controlling duty cycle and power level at each said power output.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(a) if a single load requires charging current, providing charging current to said single load;

(b) if a plurality of loads require charging current, dividing available charging current among said loads evenly; and

(c) if a load requires less charging current than is available to said load in step (b), reallocating excess charging current evenly among the remaining loads.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing charging current to a power output based on one or more charging parameters selected from a group of parameters consisting of local grid power need, local grid power availability, local grid peak energy status, predicted peak energy periods, location of a charging station connected to said power input, and power availability to a charging station connected to said power input.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing charging current to a power output based on one or more preferences of a user whose electric vehicle is connected to a power output, said preferences selected from the group consisting of location of the electric vehicle, time during which a user permits charging, cost of power for required for charging, and charge level at which a charge cycle is terminated.